A non-Fort Thanksgiving report

[lklasing 16]

Really enjoying  your report!

 

Thanks!!

 

Sorry, I got behind on my TR reading.

 

I don't know if you've been reading much on here in the past few months, but my oldest daughter graduated from FSU in May, and is now working on her Master's degree at Auburn.  So, I've been up to your neck of the woods a few times this year.

 

I love those Splash Mountain photos!  Not my idea of fun at all, but good for them!

 

TCD

 

I haven't been able to be on FF nearly as much as I like so I had missed that you have someone at Auburn now.  I'd say War Eagle, but this Alabama girl still can't bring herself to do that yet.  But, I'll definitely be pulling for Auburn for the championship!

 

Those Splash pictures are AWESOME!

 

Thanks!  I almost didn't post them but thought they were fun.

 

Love, love, love the Splash photos. Love all the different configurations of seating and enjoyment. They must have had a blast. Even though Splash is one of our favorite rides we didn't ride over Thanksgiving because it was too cold, especially at night.  Now I wish we had braved it.

 

They did have a blast.  You couldn't have paid me enough money to spend all night on that cold evening going over and over on that ride, but they sure loved it.

 

Great pix and it looks like everyone is having a blast.

Thanksgiving at the Fort! I'm jealous.

This is probably a dumb question but why are the shirts blacked out?

 

Thanks, Ray.  About the shirts, I actually use fake names for everyone else in my trip reports, so I always end up having to black out names on matching shirts.  I'm sure it's an exercise in futility, but it's just what I do...

 

Loving this report!

Have you checked out the Chattanooga spring or summer GG thread? It has been decided that a GG will be happening at Desoto state park in Fort Payne. Dave and Carol have already booked their sites.

 

Hey Yvonne - thanks for the tip about the GG thread.  I hadn't seen it but I have now!  We have a possible conflict with the DeSoto weekend but I'm going to try to get it together and go anyway!  Thanks again!!!

 

Oh yeah.  I forgot to tell you who you look like.  If Holly Hunter and Laura Linney had a sister, you would be her.

 

Ahh!  Thanks!  I get Laura Linney pretty regularly, though I just don't see it.  I used to get Meryl Streep but don't get that one anymore. 

 

I'll get the next installment up tonight.  Thanks to all for reading and commenting!

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

That's smart using fake named to protect others. Especially the girls. There's a lot of freaks out there.

But is rays name really ray? Because that's a cool name.

[Lou... 3,118]

 

Danielle and Amy made good friends somehow with this bus driver.

 

 

 

 

 

As I don't read TRs, I just happen to accidently see this.

I know that bus driver, we attend AA meetings together.

He was telling me that his Parole is up in six months.

I wouldn't be at all concerned about the girls making friends with him.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I love the Splash Mtn pictures!  

 

You shouldn't post pictures of Devine when folks who are completely freaked out by her are in the hospital with heart issues.   :rofl3:

 

And I should also point out that I use fake names for everyone in my family, including me.  My real name is not Dave, it's Dear Leader.  True story.  

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

I love the Splash Mtn pictures!

You shouldn't post pictures of Devine when folks who are completely freaked out by her are in the hospital with heart issues. :rofl3:

And I should also point out that I use fake names for everyone in my family, including me. My real name is not Dave, it's Dear Leader. True story.

Yea and you should let people know your having issues. Not post a little note on FB after the fact.

Schmuckface!!!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Yea and you should let people know your having issues. Not post a little note on FB after the fact.

Schmuckface!!!

 

Ok, next time I'm taken to the hospital in an emergency I'll tell them to go back first for my computer so I can update you.   :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Ok, next time I'm taken to the hospital in an emergency I'll tell them to go back first for my computer so I can update you.   :rofl2:

 

Holy hijack, were you in the hospital?

 

I guess you're out now?

 

is everything OK?

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Holy hijack, were you in the hospital?

 

I guess you're out now?

 

is everything OK?

 

TCD

 

Seriously....don't mean to hijack Leslie's TR.  So I'll just say yes, but I'm home now and fine.  And I've started another thread explaining what happened.  Although I should just continue this hijack and lay it all out here as punishment for Leslie posting that Devine pic.

[lklasing 16]

Hey guys - First, let me say that I, along with everyone else here, is so glad that Dave is doing ok!  We have a pretty good history with a-fib in my family and it can definitely be scary.  But it also (knock wood) has been something that has ultimately been controlled for the various family members that have it, so I'm sure that means that Dave is going to be A-OK.   :heartsmiley:

 

Ray, sadly Ray's real name isn't Ray.  But he's still a good guy, even though he doesn't have that cool of a name.

 

And Lou, glad to hear that you and our bus driver friend are working your way through recovery and the criminal justice system together.   :rofl3:

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Ok, next time I'm taken to the hospital in an emergency I'll tell them to go back first for my computer so I can update you. :rofl2:

First Mr. smarty pants. No one would expect you to ask to go back home to your computer.

Just post it on your phone from the ambulance. It's not like your driving the ambulance.

Glad your ok.

[lklasing 16]

Friday – We had a few FPs for HS today, including TSMM for Ray and me at 9:10.  I wasn’t sure whether we would make it or not, as that was about an hour earlier than we had been making it to the parks each day, but we did!  I had fun collecting FPs for the rest of the gang with the variety of room keys, park tickets, annual passes, etc. and handily beating Ray at TSMM.  Then we did something I had been wanting to do for a while – the Muppet 3-D show.  I grew up with the Muppets and had a lot of fun, but it’s a pretty dated attraction.  Ray, being 6 years older than me, never even watched the Muppets growing up, so he found it to be something to be skipped in the future.  By the time we were out of there, Jodi and Lynn made it and we all rode Star Tours together.  Everyone continued to filter to the park, and Kevin and Hope were next, so we all hit TOT together.  By the time we got off (and Jodi and Lynn rode TOT one more time), Danielle and Amy had arrived and we all got to ride RNRC together.  Lots of fun.

 

Apparently I have a thing for pictures with 3-D glasses:

 

 

 

 

Random pics from the morning:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danielle wanted pizza for breakfast/lunch (whatever you call the meal that is the first of the day for a teenager, even though she has it at 1:00), so we went to Pizza Planet.  There was a huge line but at least you can let part of your party sit while the rest gets the food, instead of having to wait until everyone is together with their food for anyone to be able to sit like at Restaurantorus yesterday.

 

By now, Ray, the teenagers and I were ready to head back for some rest and swim time before tonight.  The girls had big plans for another late night at the MK after a big dinner at WCC, and Ray and I were going to another first for us – Victoria and Albert’s!

 

We never saw the girls again before dinner, other than seeing Jodi and Lynn at the pool for a few minutes.  They had a fun night going to one of their favorite restaurants together – Whispering Canyon Café – and then back to the MK.  Again.

 

The view from my chair at the quiet pool:

 

 

Ray and I, on the other hand, did something totally different than we had ever done at WDW before – got dressed up, jackets, heels and all (well, jacket for Ray and heels for me), and went to Victoria and Albert’s!  First, we met Claire for a drink at the Turf Club bar at SSR and then headed to dinner.  First, though, I was blown away by the amazing decorations at the GF.  The entire lobby smelled like wonderful gingerbread and the trees were gorgeous. 

 

Heading to the car at SSR:

 

 

 

Grand Floridian:

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, our stomachs won the battle between oohing and aahing about the decorations versus going to dinner, so we headed up to V&A.  It was absolutely amazing.  Seven courses, plus wine pairings for Ray.  We had everything from fancy cheeses to Kobe beef to soufflé.  The food was awesome and the service was great.  I had had some special dietary requests with my food and they handled them perfectly.

 

I don’t really do food pictures usually, but I couldn’t help but take these of the coolest coffee pot I’ve ever seen.  It brewed the coffee right at the table by some magic, and it was awesome.

 

Before brewing:

 

 

After brewing but before them letting it drain back into the pot: 

 

 

We had had plans to go to HS after dinner and see the Osborne lights, but there was no way.   We had been at dinner from 5:45 until after 9:00 and by the time we left, we were completely stuffed to the gills and had to just head on back to SSR, put on our jammies, and pour ourselves into bed.  The girls made it in pretty late again that night.

 

Next up:  Our last day :-

[alexwyattmommy 181]

V&A sounds like a great date night.  You both look great in a jacket and heels. :)

 

Sorry to hear the last day is next.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

The GF does holidays right, for sure. They have amazing chocolate Easter eggs on display during that season too. That gingerbread house is incredible. 

 

Victoria & Albert's with no food shots?!?!?! I'm crying. That place is on my bucket list. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great update!

 

Good job using room keys, passes, etc. to get paper FP's.  The fact that you can still get paper FP's in addition to the FP+'s makes this testing a lot of fun.  There is no reason for a resort guest to wait on any standby lines for as long as the testing is going on.

 

I have never seen a coffee maker like that.  Where does the coffee end up?  Does this thing heat the water?  Or is it like a French Press?

 

TCD

[lklasing 16]

V&A sounds like a great date night.  You both look great in a jacket and heels. :)

 

Sorry to hear the last day is next.

 

Thanks!  I was sad for the last day to get there too!

 

The GF does holidays right, for sure. They have amazing chocolate Easter eggs on display during that season too. That gingerbread house is incredible. 

 

Victoria & Albert's with no food shots?!?!?! I'm crying. That place is on my bucket list. 

 

Yes, the GF was amazing.  I just couldn't get over it.  I still don't really think I'm interested in staying there - just too fancy for a Disney vacation for me - but it was really fun to go and see all the decorations.

 

V&A was really great and worth doing.  I'm thinking it will be my one and only time, just because of the tremendous expense.  That, plus no one human should eat that much food in one setting more than once in a lifetime.  But, you should save up and go!  It's a really neat experience.

 

Great update!

 

Good job using room keys, passes, etc. to get paper FP's.  The fact that you can still get paper FP's in addition to the FP+'s makes this testing a lot of fun.  There is no reason for a resort guest to wait on any standby lines for as long as the testing is going on.

 

I have never seen a coffee maker like that.  Where does the coffee end up?  Does this thing heat the water?  Or is it like a French Press?

 

TCD

 

Yup, we had great luck with using both FP+ and FP-.  I think that even since we left, they changed everything, at least at AK or HS (I can't remember which).  Like you say, it is a great set up right now while you can get both types of FPs.

 

The coffee maker was very cool.  They slid a flame thing at the very bottom, underneath the bottom part that holds the water.  Then somehow (truly, it was magic!), as the water heats up, it leaves the bottom bowl and goes up through that tube connecting the top and bottom, into the top bowl.  There, it mixes with the coffee grounds and brews the coffee.  After about 20 minutes of that, then they removed the heat and when everything cooled, the coffee somehow made its way down into the bottom bowl, where they eventually poured it out of.   :wiz:

 

I found our menu from that night if y'all want to see it:

 

 

 

I gotta get the pics in my last installment, but should have that up later today.  Thanks!

[lklasing 16]

Saturday –

 

When I typed this portion of this trip report, I was sitting on the same couch I sat on every morning in the Carriage House, watching the world go by and drinking a coke out of my refillable mug as I did every morning for the first 5 days. I just love getting into a routine on vacation and getting to do the same old thing over and over.  It’s just a fun and comforting way to start each day, and I was so sad that it was my last time!

 

I brought back breakfast for Ray and me as I did every day this trip, but also brought back more food than should be allowed for the girls.  Danielle is a big breakfast eater and hadn’t had a big breakfast yet this trip.   So, I dropped all that in their room and then Ray and I headed back to Epcot for our last day.

 

We really didn’t have any big plans on what to do that morning, so we just bumped around aimlessly for a little bit, grabbing FPs for the girls to use later in the day.  This was especially smart on my part, since they all slept past noon.   Ray and I had fun with M:S and Soarin’, but now absolutely hate the new Test Track and that awful cue so much that we may never ride it again.  We had FPs and even skipped the design-your-own-car-balony, and it still took forever to get on.  And the ride itself just has been so dumbed down that it’s just not worth it to us anymore.   Maybe we’ll change our minds as time goes on, but I’m thinking we may be done with TT for a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love these guys:

 

 

We slowly meandered toward the WS and I got to show Ray Maelstrom, as he had never ridden.  I think that’s a pretty fun one, for a non-headliner, low-wait ride.  Around when we got out of Maelstrom, I finally heard from the girls that they had woken up and were in the process of eating all the tons of food that I had taken them. 

 

 

 

 

Ray and I had ADRs at the buffet in Germany as part of the Candlelight Processional thing.  We have never done CP before and I was really excited about seeing it.  Gary Sinise was tonight’s narrator, which worked for me. I would have loved to see Neil Patrick Harris but he was just a couple of days after we left.  Anyway, we enjoyed the German lunch as we have before, Ray loading up with a big old beer to go with the sausage and pretzels. 

 

 

The girls eventually arrived in Epcot, and we got to see them for a minute.  Danielle was all decked out to show her football allegiance.  Just pretend like the Virginia shirt she has on says Auburn instead.

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we walked to the Boardwalk and took up residence at the bar at Big River Brewery to watch part of the game.  No, not the Florida/Florida State game that was also that day, but the BIG game – Alabama vs. Auburn.  Ray and I have a mixed marriage – I’ve always been a Bama girl and he is an Auburn grad.  The good news is that neither of us are the type fans that die over football, and we both generally hope the other’s team does well, except for the Iron Bowl every year.  When halftime hit, Alabama was up 21-14 and we talked about what to do – stay and keep watching or go take (better, in my opinion) advantage of our last night in the World.  We had actually missed the Candlelight Processional already as we decided to keep watching the first half, but we decided to head over to HS and see the Osborne lights.  So we hopped the Friendship boat and got there shortly after it started.  It was crowded, but amazing!  I just love those lights.

 

The score when we quit watching:

 

 

Things changed dramatically from there, as I’m sure y’all know.

 

Osborne:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We sat for a drink in the bar outside the Brown Derby for a little bit and enjoyed Blood, Sweat and Shears and then headed home to start getting ready to leave tomorrow.  On the way back, Ray pulled up the game live on his phone and saw Auburn tie it up with less than a minute left, only for Auburn to win the whole dang thing on a return from our failed kick with one second left.  So, Ray was a happy camper.  For me, it was just a good thing I don't care all that much.

 

The next day, we piled into the car and drove back home.  No pictures, no video, and thankfully no problems getting back.

 

So that's it!  With any luck, Ray and I are heading back down to the World in late January for our anniversary trip again and the last time to try to get maximum usage out of our APs we bought last year.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Thanks for a great trip report and even greater pictures!!!!!!!!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

First, let me say your trip sounds fantastic.  You and Ray really do Disney how I hope INC and I can someday.  And your V&A dinner sounds magical....right down to the magical coffee pots, which are Vacuum Brewers, by the way.  They are very cool.

 

I don’t really do food pictures usually, but I couldn’t help but take these of the coolest coffee pot I’ve ever seen.  It brewed the coffee right at the table by some magic, and it was awesome.

 

 

Luckily for you, I am holding a symposium on Pood Forn practices at the spring GG in Alabama.  Sign up now to take advantage of early bird discounts.   :rofl3:

 

 

We sat for a drink in the bar outside the Brown Derby for a little bit and enjoyed Blood, Sweat and Shears and then headed home to start getting ready to leave tomorrow. 

 

Has Mulch, Sweat and Shears taken on a more sinister, heavy metal persona?   :rofl2:

 

 

Loving the report!  Please tell me it's not almost over.  

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I also love how y'all do Disney!

 

I forgive you for not watching the GA/GT game, even though we were losing by 20 points and made a comeback to win in OT. I hear the Iron Bowl was pretty exciting too.

 

So I'm curious, the V&A menu is prix fixe, but some food has a price next to it.... is that an additional charge?

[lklasing 16]

Thanks for a great trip report and even greater pictures!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks!!

 

First, let me say your trip sounds fantastic.  You and Ray really do Disney how I hope INC and I can someday.  And your V&A dinner sounds magical....right down to the magical coffee pots, which are Vacuum Brewers, by the way.  They are very cool.

 

 

Luckily for you, I am holding a symposium on Pood Forn practices at the spring GG in Alabama.  Sign up now to take advantage of early bird discounts.   :rofl3:

 

 

Has Mulch, Sweat and Shears taken on a more sinister, heavy metal persona?   :rofl2:

 

 

Loving the report!  Please tell me it's not almost over.  

A few responses: 

 

Vacuum Brewer - that's it!  I am thinking about getting one to have at home, but probably won't as it's just not a necessary purchase.  (But it sure would be a fun conversation piece!)

 

Sign me up for the food pictures of kitties seminar now!  Want that discount!

 

You're right about M, S&S - a little different.

 

And, this TR isn't almost over.  It's done.  Nothing more to see here.

 

I also love how y'all do Disney!

 

I forgive you for not watching the GA/GT game, even though we were losing by 20 points and made a comeback to win in OT. I hear the Iron Bowl was pretty exciting too.

 

So I'm curious, the V&A menu is prix fixe, but some food has a price next to it.... is that an additional charge?

 

Thanks for reading!  And yes, V&A was prix fixe, but you could pay more for certain items.  We actually did the upgrade on a couple of things.  Ray got the turbot and I got the kobe beef.  I didn't know if it would be worth it or not, but honestly, it was.  Especially the kobe.  I've never had anything like that before.  And Ray loved the turbot.  I'm not a big fish person at all, but even I liked it. Obviously, all this makes for an exceptionally expensive meal - the most expensive meal I've ever had.  But for a once-in-a-perhaps-lifetime meal, it sure was fun.

 

Thanks all for reading!  Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!

Leslie

[dvccamper 32]

Great report, thank you for sharing!

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I'd love to go to V&A some time.  Just once.

 

So the items that have a dollar amount beside them -- that's the upcharge?

[lklasing 16]

Believe it or not, yes that amount is the up charge!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

All caught up!

The SM pics and the rhinos cracked me up.

You guys seem like you all know how to have a great time without completely killing yourselves while youre there.